http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/barron/1924847 Another Coach K? Smith ready By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Kenny Smith slipped -- or did he? -- while talking about the Rockets' post-Rudy Tomjanovich era on Friday. Smith said "we" -- "we" being the Rockets -- "have all the pieces in place" to contend for the playoffs and beyond under the team's new coach. Which begged the question: Who does Kenny Smith think should be the new coach? "I'm ready," he said. He wasn't joking. Smith, who commutes weekly to Atlanta from his home in Houston for his TNT gig alongside Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson Jr., is deadly serious about his interest in coaching. The Rockets may not be his best opportunity, given Leslie Alexander's penchant for making a big splash, but Smith apparently is not without options. "There have been some teams that have expressed some interest," he said. "It's something that I'll be exploring this summer. I'll probably take meetings with a couple of teams that need a new head coach." Smith's defection to the coaching ranks would be a loss for TNT, given his value as foil to Charles Barkley. But that leads to another thought: What about coming to Houston as head coach with Barkley as his assistant? "On that note," he said, "I'm hanging up the phone." Memories of Rudy -- Before he hung up, though, Kenny Smith revealed that while Rudy Tomjanovich may have been the most prominent member of the Rockets organization to use the phrase "Never underestimate the heart of a champion," he may not have been the first. "Mario Elie used to say that all the time, and Rudy kind of took it away from him," Smith said. "I don't know who said it first, but I know that Mario used to carry it on in the locker room. "But it really is indicative of Rudy and everything he has gone through as a coach and, before that, as a player. That is his story. That should be the title of his book." Tomjanovich's former players weren't the only ones shaken by his resignation. Bill Worrell was preparing to work the Astros-Cubs game on Friday when Earl Campbell, who threw out the first pitch at the game, stopped him to talk about the events of the day. "Earl said it affected him the same way that it affected him when he heard about Bum Phillips getting fired," Worrell said. "They're the two biggest coaching icons in Houston. I thought it was interesting that Earl mentioned him in that way."
From the same link: Rockets, Astros close deal -- The Rockets and Astros on May 8 signed documents launching their plans for a regional sports network that would show Rockets games beginning with the 2005-06 season and Astros games beginning in 2006. The teams initially sought a ruling from state District Judge Tad Halbach that their partnership was legal under the Astros' contract with FSN, which allows the team to accept other offers beginning with the 2006 season. However, the judge did not rule immediately on their request, and FSN did not pony up $213 million -- the teams' latest estimate of the new network's value to the Astros. Within 30 days of the official offer Feb. 28, the teams elected not to wait for a ruling and formalized their agreement. "We've always moved forward with the understanding that this is our right," said Astros president Pam Gardner. "We're working through the details now of what it means for both teams and how we move forward." Fox Sports Net has sued, claiming the deal is illegal because the Astros, in effect, are making an offer to themselves by forming the new network. FSN also claims that the Astros cannot receive offers for a new contract until 2005.
Dont do it Kenny. While I admire your skills on and off the court, I would rather the Rox be handed over to someone who has actually coached before. Get on the bench and work your way up just like the rest of the greats had to.
Larry Smith before Kenny Smith KAJ before Kenny Smith Mario Elie before Kenny Smith Matt Bullard before Kenny Smith etc
if he really wants to coach i would like to have him as an assistant. absolutely NOT a head coach though. that would be an insult to the legacy of rudy t if kenny was his replacement. i think that kenny could be a good assistant if given the opportunity and the right coach to work under (paul silas, larry brown). he knows the rockets and knows what it takes to win. i say "why not?"
two completey different circumstances. you're talking about replacing a local icon, the winningest coach in franchis history, one of the winningest coaches in the game, with a young man who has not a day of coaching experience.
-- Before he hung up, though, Kenny Smith revealed that while Rudy Tomjanovich may have been the most prominent member of the Rockets organization to use the phrase "Never underestimate the heart of a champion," he may not have been the first. "Mario Elie used to say that all the time, and Rudy kind of took it away from him," Smith said. "I don't know who said it first, but I know that Mario used to carry it on in the locker room. To Kenny the d******d Smith, a man who can spontaneously invent words like "Kapaya" does not need to borrow quotes from his players.
Who replaced Tom Landry? A college coach named Jimmy Johnson. The thing is, that the coach shouldn't have to be a big name coach to get the job done. Where did Rick Carisle or Eric Musselman come from? I'll give you another one. Paul Westhead was replaced during the season by a guy who used to be a announcer a yr removed from a ring. The Lakers won the title in 79-80, 80-81 was the celts, but 11 games into the season ,Weasthead was fired and replaced by Pat Riley. Riley won the ring that yr and won 3 more with La. Riley didn't have eve assistant coaching experience at the time.
Id put kenny in as an assistant, but definitely not head coach. Him or Avery Johnson would make a nice addtion to our bench.
Rudy is not Paul Westphal. Rudy is not Tom Landry. Kenny is not Pat Riley. Rudy is Rudy. Kenny is Kenny. Thats the way it is. I can not believe you would consider replacing Rudy with Kenny Smith... leebigez, I usually agree with a lot of things you say but Kenny to replace Rudy..
That what I am thinking. Surely Smith doesn't think he is going to be considered a serious canditate for head coach.
